suggestions on where to find colored laces?

[TaBalie]

I want to buy some fun colored laces... They have some at the Pro shop here, but all the good colors are for smaller skates (I need 120in). Any suggestions?

[Skate@Delaware]

You could always dye your own!!!

I have seen PINK hockey laces, but they are rather thick and wouldn't work for figure skates.

Ok, some digging around found these....
http://www.usaskates.com/figureskatelaces.html

[TaBalie]

Thank you! I am not sure nylon-cotton blends or nylon take dye well, but I will look into that as well.

:D

[flying~camel]

I got my purple laces from Harlick for $5 @ ANs :P

[Isk8NYC]

Buy two pair of small laces and tie them together to make ones long enough for your skates. You could even mix-and-match!

If they're too long, just tie them together to make them shorter and cut off the excess.

Clear nail polish will help keep them from unraveling.

[Skate@Delaware]

I always want to put different color laces on my skates, or put beads at the very beginning (where they start) but since I do ice shows they'd have to come off before the show (and sometimes that's a hassle)...

[flying~camel]

I always want to put different color laces on my skates, or put beads at the very beginning (where they start) but since I do ice shows they'd have to come off before the show (and sometimes that's a hassle)...

I leave my purple laces in and wear over the boot tights ;)

[Skate@Delaware]

I leave my purple laces in and wear over the boot tights ;)
We aren't allowed to wear OTB tights for our shows...:frus: although I will have to ask about boot covers (I have white)...esp since I do play several meanies from time to time and have to have black boots!!!

[sk8_4fun]

I don't know if anyone can help but I can't get beige laces anywhere. I will be getting my new boots, beige Wifas, very soon and although the boots are great I don't like the type of laces that are supplied with them. (they are chunky nylon ones) I'm trying to get the cotton mix type like the Reidell ones. I'm in the UK but would be willing to pay postage from anywhere really, as laces are so light.

Thanks in advance,

Jayne

[jenlyon60]

Depending on the type of cotton blend, white laces can be dyed tan with tea and/or coffee.

[sk8_4fun]

I hadn't thought of that, if anyone has done this before what sort of strength coffee and is ground coffee best or instant???

[jenlyon60]

I've done it before. I used regular old brewed ground coffee, don't know the strength as it was whatever someone else had made (I used some leftover).

How well the laces take the coffee or tea depends on how much cotton is in the blend.

Also, with doing it yourself, you can always give them another dose if need be.

[Tiggerwoos]

These may do the trick also?:)

http://www.topskate.co.uk/acatalog/Topskate2004_Thin_skating_laces_202.html

[sk8_4fun]

Cheers tigger!:P

[Petlover]

I have beige skates and get beige laces from Rainbo sports, which I believe is www.rainbosports.com.

[Isk8NYC]

Beige nylon laces are available, but I also prefer the cotton ones. I just switched from beige to white skates because I got tired of having to dye the cotton laces to match my skates. (Now I wear boot covers to keep them clean. :roll: Six of one, half-dozen of the other. LOL)

I use leftover coffee, the stronger the better. (Usually double-strength.) I add two tea bags as well as 6 drops of BLUE food coloring. It keeps the dye brown, not orange, colored.

Dip the ends in melted candle wax to protect the plastic tips from coming undone.
Rinse the laces to get rid of the sizing. You don't have to dry them.
Pour the dye concoction into a jar with a lid.
Dump the rinsed laces in, close the jar, and shake.

Shake it up every couple of hours for coverage. I leave it overnight.

Take them out and hang them up to dry. Make sure they don't drip on anything that could get stained.

Once they've dried, use a hot curling iron to "set" the dye.
Just run the laces through the iron a few times. Don't melt the tips!

I gave up on rinsing them or trying a salt soak to set the color - it was a waste of time. I get a bit of brown stuff on my hands when I tie those skates, but it's miniscule.


In a pinch, I wore white laces in my beige skates. Our skating director lovingly referred to them as my "bowling skates." LOL!

Has anyone ever tried using a REAL dye, like RIT, on cotton laces?

[TaBalie]

I used RIT to dye my laces:

http://nkmakeup.com/skates.jpg

The liquid RIT works a billion times better than the powder RIT. You need cotton or cotton blnd laces for the dye to take. HTH!

[Isk8NYC]

TaBalie - COOL COLOR LACES!!!

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to try the liquid next time. (If there is a next time.)

[Team Arthritis]

Yeh TaBalie, those were what I was thinking of when I read the topic post! Maybe a nice purple (so as to not be a Copy Cat):lol:
Lyle

[sexyskates]

I just put a heaping teaspoon of instant espresso in a teacup of boiling water and then stuff the cotton laces in the cup. I leave it a few minutes and then rinse very lightly with cold water (watch that the color doesn't fade too much) and hang up the laces to dry. The coffee smell goes away in a few days, and smells better than stinky boots anyway.

[sk8_4fun]

:P TaBalie- never mind the laces, those skates are gorgeous!!!

[sk8_4fun]

Beige nylon laces are available, but I also prefer the cotton ones. I just switched from beige to white skates because I got tired of having to dye the cotton laces to match my skates. (Now I wear boot covers to keep them clean. :roll: Six of one, half-dozen of the other. LOL)

I use leftover coffee, the stronger the better. (Usually double-strength.) I add two tea bags as well as 6 drops of BLUE food coloring. It keeps the dye brown, not orange, colored.

Dip the ends in melted candle wax to protect the plastic tips from coming undone.
Rinse the laces to get rid of the sizing. You don't have to dry them.
Pour the dye concoction into a jar with a lid.
Dump the rinsed laces in, close the jar, and shake.

Shake it up every couple of hours for coverage. I leave it overnight.

Take them out and hang them up to dry. Make sure they don't drip on anything that could get stained.

Once they've dried, use a hot curling iron to "set" the dye.
Just run the laces through the iron a few times. Don't melt the tips!

I gave up on rinsing them or trying a salt soak to set the color - it was a waste of time. I get a bit of brown stuff on my hands when I tie those skates, but it's miniscule.


In a pinch, I wore white laces in my beige skates. Our skating director lovingly referred to them as my "bowling skates." LOL!

Has anyone ever tried using a REAL dye, like RIT, on cotton laces?

Thanks for the 'recipe' I'll have to experiment to get the right shade.

[AshBugg44]

Does anyone know where to find colored laces online?

[SkatingOnClouds]

Do you mean like beige or black, or are you looking for something brighter?
I ask, because beige and black aren't that hard to find, but I haven't come across other colours. I would be interested to know as well.

[sue123]

How about dying white laces to the color you want? You could probably use a tee shirt dye or something.

[AshBugg44]

Do you mean like beige or black, or are you looking for something brighter?
I ask, because beige and black aren't that hard to find, but I haven't come across other colours. I would be interested to know as well.

Nope I mean like pink and purple and blue!

[Summerkid710]

When the skate manufacturers like SP-Teri and Harlick sell custom colored leather boots, they dye the laces themselves. You may want to try one of those companies that sells colored leather customs to see if they have any to sell.

[flying~camel]

I got my purple laces from the Harlick booth at 2006 ANs.

[Isk8NYC]

Merged threads - check the earlier posts for relevant links.

[jenlyon60]

Depending on the fiber in the laces (cotton vs. nylon), you could try using Kool-aid (the powdered type without sugar) or even food coloring (the Wilton pastes made for cake decorating).

You will need to soak the laces well for at least 15-20 minutes and may need to use vinegar (I believe both food colorings may work better with a mild acid). If you search online for info on hand-dying yarn or fiber, there is a lot of information available for free.